Effects of Anticipation in Individually Motivated Behaviour on Survival and Control in a Multi-Agent Scenario with Resource Constraints

Christian Guckelsberger,Daniel Polani

doi:10.3390/e16063357

Abstract

Self-organization and survival are inextricably bound to an agent’s ability to control and anticipate its environment. Here we assess both skills when multiple agents compete for a scarce resource. Drawing on insights from psychology, microsociology and control theory, we examine how different assumptions about the behaviour of an agent’s peers in the anticipation process affect subjective control and survival strategies. To quantify control and drive behaviour, we use the recently developed information-theoretic quantity of empowerment with the principle of empowerment maximization. In two experiments involving extensive simulations, we show that agents develop risk-seeking, risk-averse and mixed strategies, which correspond to greedy, parsimonious and mixed behaviour. Although the principle of empowerment maximization is highly generic, the emerging strategies are consistent with what one would expect from rational individuals with dedicated utility models. Our results support empowerment maximization as a universal drive for guided self-organization in collective agent systems.

Highlights

Homoeostasis, i.e., the maintenance of “internal conditions”, is essential to any dynamic system capable of self-organization [1]
We examined the effect of anticipation on subjective control and survival strategies in a multi-agent, resource-centric environment
We used the information-theoretic quantity of empowerment as a measure for an agent’s subjective control of its environment and evaluated empowerment maximization as a principle, which may underlie biologically plausible behaviour

Summary

Introduction

Homoeostasis, i.e., the maintenance of “internal conditions”, is essential to any dynamic system capable of self-organization [1]. Living beings, ranging from unicellular organisms to complex plants and animals, have to keep quantities, such as body temperature, sugar- and pH-level, within certain ranges. This regulation requires animals to interact with their environment, e.g. to eat in order to increase their sugar level. We adopt findings from psychology as a starting point towards the quantification of subjective control In his “Locus of Control of Reinforcement” theory [11], Rotter distinguishes between an action, a reaction, an expectation and external influences that affect the sensation of control.

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion